Ironing machine



June 11, 1940. W* G' ZIGLER IRONING MACHINE `Film1 July'zs. `19:57

` 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY w. c. 21am-:R

June 1l, 1940.

:Rosina MAQHINE l `li'ilorl July 23, 1937 3 Sheets-*Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Wf/R Z/@MR v ATTORNEY.

Patented June ll, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE ApplicatZZI-:ul 13:. 155,150

. s claims. This invention relates to improvements in commercial ironing machines of the roll type belts or the like to mar the finish of the Work as heretofore. f

A further object of my invention is to arrange the rolls one in advanceof the other and have the first roll at which the linens are ironed on one or the wrong side considerably smaller in diameter than the second roll at which the linens are ironed on the other or the right side in order that the ironing period at the first roll will be so reduced that the linens will not be dried out by the heat at the first roll, but will retain suincient moisture on reaching the second roll to be properly ironed and finished thereby.

A further object of my invention is to relieve the steam chests of the machine of the duty of supporting the weight and the pressure of the padded rolls as heretofore, and thus enable lighter and smaller chests to be employed which reduces the cost of building the machine and the amount of space occupied thereby when installed for use.

Another object of my invention is to confine the guide tapes or aprons employed between the flrst roll and the rst steam chest of the second roll and arrange the chests inclosely spaced relation about the second roll so that the linens in one `passage through the `machine can be ironed on both sides Without tape or apron marks as `heretofore.

Another object of my invention is to have the guide and support for the linens from the rst to the second rolls extend from the last chest of the first roll to` adjacent the rst chest of the second roll` and directly beneath the tape or apron structure referred to for conveying the linens between the rolls.

A further object of my invention is to have this linen guide and Support a part of the last chest of the first rollto be heated by the steam supplied to said chest.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an air stripper for the ironed materials on the rear or discharge side of the second or larger roll. This stripper not` only prevents the ironed materials re-entering the machine to be ironed double with the materials just entering the ironer, but also cools the ironed materials as they leave the machine to preserve their finish in sub- 5 sequent handling and folding.

The two rolls of the machine are perforated and padded as required for ironing and are subjected to a suction to remove and`carry on' the steam and moisture vapors generated in the ironing operations.

The chests for both rolls are mounted to be spring pressed against their respective rolls so that the chests will have full pressure contact at all times with the padded surfaces of the rolls regardless of the wear or sinking of the padding in the use of the machine.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side view oi. my improved ironing machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken longitudinally through the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the padded finishing roll, on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through said roll at the air stripper; 30

Fig. 5 is an elevational view, with parts in section, of the air stripper pipe and its nozzles; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the chest mountings for the larger or finishing roll.

As shown in the drawings, the machine has a pair of upright side frame members I, i connected together cross-wise ofthe machine and providing a support for two ironing rolls 2, 3 arranged between and journaled in said frame members on substantially parallel axes. Both rolls are covered on their outer cylindrical surfaces with padding I, 4 as usual in roll ironers. The roll 2 is arranged in advance of the roll 3 and is considerably smaller in diameter than the roll 3 as shown in the drawings. In the embodiment illustrated, the ratio between the rolls is approximately 3 to 1, the roll 2 on this scale being 18 inches in diameter and the roll 3 being 60 inches in diameter. As also shown, the rolls 50 are arranged relatively close together to materially reduce the over-all length of the machine and to lessen the length of travel for the linens from one roll to the other.

The steam chests for the two rolls are marked 55 with the roll 2 is approximately 24 inches.

5 and 6, respectively.y The chests l,` 5 for the first or smaller roll 2 are beneath said roll to iron the wrong side of the linens or other materials fed into the machine. The chests 6, 6 for the second or larger roll 3'are arranged above said roll to iron the right side of the-linens. The rolls are power driven, being rotated simultaneously in the same direction, and with the chests arranged above andv below the respective rolls as shown, the linens are ironed on both sides in one passage through the machine.

The chests 5 for the iirst-or smaller roll 2 arepreferably two in number and have their upper surfaces concave to conform to the cylindrical surface of the roll and are made wide enough to engage a considerable portion of the under side of the roll as shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, the pressure contact of the chests The chests 5 are supported entirely by the rigid frame of the machine and are yieldably pressed against the roll by spring means 1, also supported by the machine frame. A bar 8 provides a support for the two chests where they meet and overlap beneath the roll 2. This enables the chests to be swung upwardly about said bar against the padded surface of the roll 2' and retain full pressure contact therewith at all times regardless of wear of said packing or its sinking down in the use of the machine.

Arranged in front of the roll 2 is a at table 9 whichserves as a support for the linens or other materials to be fed into the machine. Endless tapes or conveyors I 0 are disposed between the table 9 andthe roll 2. These tapes run about a feed roller II at the inner end of the table and a steam box I2 at the roll 2. A lip I3 extends from the rear side of the box I2 and guides the materialsfrom the conveyors I0 into the entrance space between the roll 2 and its first steam chest 5. 'I'he feed roller II and box I2 are supported by the frame of the machine.

'Ihe chest 5 on the rear side of the roll 2 has an upwardly extending inclined portion Il, which extends to the roll 3 and guides the materials into the entrance space between the roll 3 and its iirst chest 6. Endless tapes or conveyors I5 are employed to move the materials up the incline Il as the materials leave the roll 2. The tapes I5 are turned in the direction required by having their forward loops engaged about the roll 2 and driven thereby. The rear loops of the tapes engage about the first chest 6 of the roll 3. The lower runs of the tapes I5 are arranged close to the incline I4 to hold the materials on andy convey them up the incline. 'I'he tapes I5 do not mar the iinish of the work ironed at the roll 2 because the tapes do not engage the side of the linens ironed at said roll. While the tapes are against the side of the linens engaged by the chests 6, yet no tape marks are on the finished work because the tapes only contact the linens at lthe first chest 6 and will be ironed out by the subsequent chests before the linens are discharged from the machine.

The chests 6 ride on the padded surface of the roll 3 and are pressed against the same by spring means to be presently described. This-relieves the chests of the duty of supporting the weight and pressure of the roll 3 and hence said chests may be made relatively light and narrow as shown. This enables a larger number of chests to be disposed about the upper portion of the roll 3 and have their side edges closely spaced to keep the linens on the roll without-the'use of aprons or equivalent conveyors as heretofore.

With a large number of chests extending from the incline Il to the airl stripper to be presently described on the rear side of the roll, the ironing period for the roll 3 will be considerably longer than at the roll 2 and the linens will be completely dried and ironed with a high finish and gloss before leaving the roll.

In the embodiment shown, the pressure contact of the chests 6 with the roll 3 is approximately inches. With the chests narrow and the roll 3 large in diameter, the curvature required for the chests to fit against the roll is relatively slight, and thus the chests maintain full pressure contact with the padded surface of the roll at all times regardless of the wear and packing down of the padding in the use of the roll. This packing down occurs in the use of the machine, reducing the diameter of the roll to as much as l inch. It is essential to the efliciency of the machine as an roner that full chest pressure be maintained at all times, and this is accomplished with the use of a large diameter roll and narrow chests as described.

The spring mountings for the chests 6 are at the opposite ends of each chest, and as shown in Fig. 6, comprise an outwardly extending lug I6 with flat sides at each end of a chest. 'I'he lug has a sliding fit in a guide-way I1 in a holder I8 which is adjustably supported in the top section I9 of the associated side frame I. 'I'he holder I8 has a roller 20 at its lower end which roller fits in a cam slot 23a in a rotatable plate for raising the chest from the roll when desired. Coiled springs 2|, 22 are arranged above and below the lug I6 andprovide a yielding support for the chest. 'I'he lower spring 2l is in the guide-way I1, while the upper spring extends into a housing-cap 23 which carries a. set-screw 24 for adjusting the tension oi' the springs to regulate the pressure of the chest on the roll 3. With each chest 6 so mounted, the chests are individually yieldable.

The chests 5, 6 are hollow to receive steam for heating them. The piping arrangement for supplying steam to the chests is not shown, forming no part of my invention. In lieu of steam, the chests may be heated by gas or electrically.

The rolls 2 and 3 are made hollow andeach has perforations in its cylindrical surface beneath its padding I so that steam and moisture vapors generated in ironing by the chests may be drawn off by suctionl placed interiorly of the rolls to keep the padding relatively dry. The perforations in the roll 3 are marked 25 in the drawings. To place the rolls under suction, each roll has a hollow end journal 26 to which is connected pipe 21 leading from the intake side of a suitable motor driven suction fan 23. The outlet pipe 28a of the fan leads to the exterior of the room or building 'in which the machine is located so that the steam and moisture vapors drawn from the rolls by the ian will not be discharged into the room. This avoids the use of a hood over the machine. 'I'he outlet pipes 21 of the two rolls maybe connected by a manifold (not shown).

A steam coil 23 is locatedin each roll 2, 3 with the convolutions 30 of the coil extending about the roll close to 'the inner cylindrical surface thereof as shown in Fig. 3. These coils heat the v wet its padding.1 This aids in keeping padding.,

dry and the ironed materials on leaving the machine need not be run over drying aprons or platforms to dry them.

The inlet and return pipes 3|, 32 for the steam coil extend into and out `of `the roll through its hollow fitting 26a and end journal 2B, as shown in Fig.` 3 for the roll 3. 'I'hese pipes are connected with a source of steam supply and for the two rolls may be Joined by manifolds. 'I'he steam coils are not rotated with the rolls, being stationary. The perforations are arranged in rows lengthwise ofthe roll and the perforations in each row are connected by grooves 33 in the outer cylindrical surface of the roll as shown for the roll 3. This enables practicallyall portions of the padding to be under `the influence of the suction within the` roll.

. The air stripper comprises a pipe 3l extending substantially the full length of the roll 3 on its rear side andihaving a plurality of nozzles 35 arranged along the length of the pipe and exi tending upwardly therefrom toward the surface of the roll.` One end of the pipe is closed and its i opposite end is connected with an air blower (not shown) for supplying air to the pipe. The nozzles direct jets of air against the roll 3 as the linens leave the last chest 6 and strip the linens (A in Fig. 4) from the roll. The jets also direct the linens to an endless 'conveyor 36 which delivers the ironed materials to a receiving table or platform 31 at the rear end of the machine. The air `iets also cool the ironed linens as they leave the machine andthus permit handling and folding of the work without injury to its finish.

An insulated shield 38 covers the circumferential portion of the roll '3 not covered by the chests 6. This prevents cold air being drawn into the roll 3 beyond the chests 6. These chests being closely spaced at their side edges reduces the air gaps between them and prevents the drawing of undue amounts of cold air into the roll `3 by the suction tochill the padding of the linens passing about the roll. This suction also holds the work on the rolls.

My improved ironer is simple in construction and operation and irons both sides lof the linens or other materials in one passage through the machine without the use of aprons or equivalent guides to guide or convey the linens about the rolls. The large finishing roll and `its narrow chests is an important feature of my invention in that with a large diameter the curvature of the chests is slight and they retain `full piessure contact with the roll at all times regardless of the reduction of the diameter of the roll in the use of the machine. Also the linens are not stretched out of shape as they pass through the rolls and thus may be folded with square corners as they are not dog eared. The incline I4 extends upwardly in the natural direction of discharge of the linens from the roll 2|. This is arranged by having the roll axis no higher than the axis of roll 3. Moreover, with my machine the linens have a better `finish and more body as the finish is not broken up in the travel of the linens from one roll to another or over aprons to finish the drying as in the previous machines. In thesemachines, and especially in a six or more roll ironer, the diameter of the rolls being different and the last rolls4 being larger in diameter, pull the linens faster and causes the same to stretch the linens out of shape and break up what the first rolls have accomplished especially at the last roll. At this point, the linens are' almost dry, and feeding a dry piece through any roll will break up the finish of the piece. A lso in these previous machines, after the linens leave the last pressure roll, the linens travel `over aprons-to finish the drying and not having any pressure on the linens at this point, the aprons remove the gloss'or finish put on by the pressure rolls. With my machine these objections are overcome, the materials being ironed flat on both sides with a high finish 4and gloss on the right side as required, which finish is not'broken up or marred, as the linens are finished and discharged from the machine at the second or larger roll. The machine also is cheaper to build and efficient in operation.

The details of structure and arrangement of parts shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention except as pointed out in the annexed claims.

`I claim as my invention: i 1. A two-roll ironing machine, comprising pair of power driven padded rolls arranged with one roll in advance of the other roll and having the rear roll considerably larger in diameter than the fr ont roll, steam chests for said rolls and bearing against thepadded surfaces thereof, the chests for the front roll being arranged beneath said roll and the chests for the rear roll being i arranged above said roll, a fabric support `and rear roll, and a stripper for the ironed fabrics at the rear roll.

2. A two-roll ironing machine, comprising a supporting frame, a pair of padded rolls journaled in said frame and arranged with one roll in adi Vance 0f the other roll and having the rear roll considerably larger in diameter than the front roll, steam chests for both rolls and bearing against the padded surfaces thereof, the chests for the front roll being arranged beneath said roll and supported by said frame, the chests for the rear roll being arranged above and riding on the padded surface of the rear roll, means providing yieldable mountings for the chests for pressing the chests against their respective rolls, Vsaid chests having surface portions to retain full pressure contact with the rolls regardless of the Wear or packing of the padded surfaces thereof, and a stripper for the ironed fabrics on the discharge side of the rear roll.

3. In an ironing machine, a supporting frame, a padded ironing roll journaled in said frame, steam chests bearing against the padded surface of said roll, said chests being supported in bearing relation with respect to the roll by said frame, and means for yieldably pressing the a padded ironing roll journaled in said frame,

steam chests bearing against the padded surface of said roll, said chests being supported in bearing relation with respect to the padded surface of the roll by said frame, and means for yieldably pressing the chests against the roll, said roll being relatively largein diameter and said chests being relatively narrow in width so that a large number of chests maybe disposed-in circumferentially spaced relation about the roll and have their contacting surfaces which engage the roll conforming to only a small portion of the curvature of the roll to retain full pressure contact of the chests with the roll regardless of the wear or packing of the padded surface of the roll.

5. In an ironing machine, a supporting frame, an ironing roll journaled in said frame, said roll having a perforated cylindrical portion' and closing end walls to provide a suction chamber within the roll, a padded covering carried by the roll over its perforated portion, steam chests riding on the padded surface of said roll and yieldably engaging the same, said chests being supported in bearing relation with respect to the padded surface of the roll by said frame, said roll being relatively large in diameter and said chests being laterally narrow in width so that the surfaces of the chests which contact the roll conform to only a smalll portion of the curvature of the roll to retain full pressure contact of the chests with the roll regardless of the wear or packing of the padded surface of the roll, and means for placing the interior of the roll under suction to remove the steam and'moisture vapors generated at the roll by thechests in an ironing operation. .i 6. In anironing machine, a supporting frame, an ironing roll journaled in said frame, said roll having a perforated cylindrical portion and closing end walls to provide-a suction chamber within the roll, a padded covering carried by the roll overits perforated portion, steam chests riding on the padded surface of said roll and yieldably-engaging the same. said chests being supported in bearing relation with respectV tothe padded surface of the roll by said frame. said roll being relatively large in diameter and said chests being laterally narrow in width so that a l larger number of chests may be circumterentially disposed about the roll and in closely spaced relation to Vreduce the airgaps between' the' chests and have their surfaces whichcontact the roll conform to' only a small portion of the curvature of the roll to retain full pressure contact of the chests with `the roll regardless of the wear'or sinking of the padded covering on the roll, and means for placing the interior of the roll under suction to remove the steam and moisture vapors generated at the roll by the chests in an ironing operation.

7. In an ironing machine,a supporting frame, a pair of front and rear padded ironing rolls journaled in said frame with the rear roll arranged to receive the fabrics from the front roll, steam chests for both rolls and bearing against the padded surfaces thereof, said chests being supported in bearing relation to their respective rolls by said frame, 'the chests for the front roll being arranged beneath said roll, the chests for the rear roll being arranged-above and riding on the padded surface of the rear roll in yielding engagement therewith, said rear roll being considerably larger in diameter than the front roll to complete the ironing of the fabrics at the rear roll and the chests for said rear roll being laterally narrow in width so that the surfaces of said chests which contact the rear roll conform to only a small portion of the curvature of said rear roll to retain full pressure contact of the chests with the rear roll regardless ofthe wear or packing of the padded surface of said rear roll, and an air stripper for removingthe ironed fabrics from the rear roll on' the discharge side thereof..

8. In an ironing machine, a supporting' frame, a pair of front and rear padded ironing rolls .iournaled in said frame with the rear roll arranged to receive the fabrics from the front roll, steam chests for both rolls and bearing against the padded surfaces thereof,.said chests being supported in bearing relation to their respective rolls by said frame, the chests for the front roll beingv arranged beneath said roll, the chests for the rear roll being arranged above and riding n the padded surface of said rear roll in yielding engagement therewith, said rear roll being considerably larger in diameter than the front roll, the chests for the rear roll being laterally narrow in width so that the surfaces of said chests which contact the rear roll conform to onlya small .portion of the curvature of said rear roll to retain full pressure contact of the chests 4with vthe rear roll regardless of the wear or packing of the padded surface oi' said rear roll, and means for transferring the fabrics from the front 'to the rear roll and having a heatable fabric supporting element between said rolls.

WARD G. zIGLER.. v 

